CEEC “Appropriate Technology”
Panel
“Baylor Initiatives in
Appropriate Technology”
Jim Farison
Baylor Initiatives in
Appropriate Technology
• Part 1 - Baylor’s Appropriate Technology
Symposium – May 17-18-2004
• Part 2 - Baylor’s New Masters Programs,
including a Master of Engineering program
with Appropriate Technology option
• Part 3 - Baylor’s Appropriate Technology
Example
Part 1 –
Baylor’s AT Symposium Report
“Symposium on Science and Appropriate
Technology for Developing Countries”
May 17-18, 2004
Baylor University
“Symposium on Science and Appropriate
Technology for Developing Countries”
Baylor University
Monday AM
• “Welcome” – President Robert Sloan and Provost David
Jeffrey
• “Holistic Development and Appropriate Technology for
Sustainable Development in Two-thirds of the World” –
B. E. Vijayam, Osmania University, Hyderabad, India
• “Climbing the Development Ladder ‘Appropriately’” –
Frank Matthews, Colorado School of Mines
• “Two Case Studies in Appropriate Technology” –
Otto Helwig, North Dakota State University
“Symposium on Science and Appropriate
Technology for Developing Countries”
Baylor University
Monday PM
• “TWAS at 20: Scientific Capacity through South-South
Cooperation” –
Daniel Schaefer, Third World Academy of Sciences
• “A Mechanism for Building Scientific and Technological
Infrastructure on the African Continent” –
Sekazi Mtingwa, North Carolina A&T University
• “Hybrid Renewable Energy Systems for Developing
Countries” –
Kenell Tourjan, National Renewable Energy Laboratory
“Symposium on Science and Appropriate
Technology for Developing Countries”
Baylor University
Tuesday AM
• “Engineering for the Developing World: Challenges and
Opportunities” –
Bernard Amadei, University of Colorado
• “Educational Opportunities in Appropriate Technology for
Undergraduate Students” –
Margaret Pinnel, University of Dayton
• “Transformational Engagement: Program Strategies for
College and Universities” –
David Vader, Messiah College
• “Emerging US/Africa Collaborations in Materials Science” –
Wole Soboyejo, Princeton University
“Symposium on Science and Appropriate
Technology for Developing Countries”
Baylor University
Tuesday PM
• “World Vision Relief and Development: Program
Strategies, Structure, Roles and Opportunities” –
Ray Norman, Messiah College
• “Engineering and Missions Integration at SPU” –
Anthony Donaldson, Seattle Pacific University
• “Selecting a Technology to Generate Electricity in
Remote Areas” –
Matthew Green, University of Texas
• “Conclusion” –
Walter Bradley, Baylor University
Sample Presentation from Baylor “AT”
Symposium
The next slide is borrowed from one of the
presentations at the Baylor AT Symposium:
CU Program in Engineering
for Developing Communities
Dr. Bernard Amadei
Several additional slides from his AT Symposium
presentation were also shown in this CEEC panel
session.
CU Program in Engineering
for Developing
Communities
Dr. Bernard Amadei
Viewing the Developing World as the
Classroom of the 21st Century
Mission: A program dedicated to educating globally responsible
students who can offer sustainable and appropriate technology
solutions to the endemic problems faced by developing
communities worldwide (including the US).
Issues of interest include water, sanitation, energy, shelter,
health, food, jobs and capital for developing communities
Some Personal Observations
Appropriate Technology initiatives involve –
• certainty of unlimited possibilities
• extend of projects already underway
• cost of development and implementation
(+travel)
• probability of implementation and/or
sustainability limitations (failures)
• risk of community non-acceptance
• likelihood of unintended consequences
• payoff in great fulfillment (or disappointment)
Part 2 –
Baylor’s New Masters Programs
“Master of Engineering Degree with Option in
‘Appropriate Technology for Developing
Countries’”
Baylor University
Baylor’s New Masters Programs
• During 2003-04, Baylor University initiated
graduate work at the Masters level.
• Traditional research/thesis-oriented Master
of Science programs are offered in:
Electrical and Computer Engineering,
Mechanical Engineering, and
Biomedical Engineering
• A more professionally oriented Master of
Engineering program is also available.
Baylor’s New Masters Programs
Master of Engineering Requirements
Requires 33 credit hours (MS requires 30)
Project for 3-6 credit hours depending on the
scope of project (MS thesis is 6 credits)
Course work of 27-30 credits
– At least 15 credits must be taken in engineering
– Up to 15 credits may be taken from the MBA
program in business
Baylor’s New Masters Programs
Master of Engineering Focus
• Practice-oriented students (as distinct from
research-oriented students) who want to get
advanced training in engineering and
business at the MBA level
• Engineering classes the same as the Master
of Science programs
• Distinction in the type of project selected
(oriented more to application than discovery)
and the opportunity to replace some
engineering courses with business courses
Baylor’s New Masters Programs
Appropriate Technology Emphasis
One new senior elective/graduate course to be
developed
Primary emphasis is in the project selected; for
example,
– Explore possibility of using coconut oil (possibly with
refining) as a substitute for diesel fuel (huge benefit for
South Seas Islands such as Papua New Guinea)
– Design and deploy mini-hydroelectric equipment to be
used in mountainous regions of developing countries
with abundant rain fall
– Develop more energy efficient and safe cooking stoves
Part 3 –
Baylor “AT” Example
POSSIBILITY OF USING COCONUT OIL
AS A SUBSTITUTE FUEL FOR DIESEL
ENGINES
John Pumwa and Walter L. Bradley
School of Engineering & Computer Science
Baylor University
COCONUT GROWING ZONES OF THE
WORLD
•Potential Zones of Coconut Production:
•Zone 1 – High Productivity of Coconuts
•Zone 2 – Medium Productivity of Coconuts
•Zone 3 – Low Productivity of Coconuts
INTRODUCTION
•Coconuts Palms
•are the most widespread and naturally
sustainable tropical agricultural crops
grown abundantly in the South Pacific
Islands and parts of Asia.
can tolerate poor sandy soils with
saline water and survives frequent
cyclones.
can bear a bunch of fruits each month
for about 65 of their 70 to 80 year life
span.
require minimum maintenance.
are and have been way of life for the
indigenous island people. They call the
coconut palm the “Tree of Life”.
MAIN USES OF
COCONUTS
•Copra:
This
is the dried
flesh (the white
endosperm) of the
nut which is the
commercial product
that enters the world
trade.
Has an oil content
of between 65% and
72%.
Is typically the
highest priced
vegetable oil on the
world markets.
MAIN USES OF COCONUT
•Copra Cont’d:
Over
the past 50-years,
competition from other oilseeds
has unsteadily eroded copra
prices at about 2% per year.
As prices fluctuate, farmers
respond accordingly by:
Increasing nut collection
and maintaining coconut
palms during high prices and;
Virtually abandoning nut
collection and ceasing to
maintain coconut palms
when prices are low.
This results in Farmers
losing their prime source
of cash income.
THEREFORE,
THERE IS A NEED
TO CREATE A DEMAND FOR THE
COCONUT CROP!
Papua New Guinea’s Oil Seed Commodities (2000 – 2002)
Oil Seed Export Commodities
Year
Coconut Oil
Copra
Palm Oil
Tonnes
103
US$
(Million)
Tonnes
103
US$
(Million)
Tonnes
103
US$
(Million)
2000
48.0
19.35
67.2
17.61
336.3
90.14
2001
27.1
8.03
46.4
4.56
327.6
85.41
2002
33.7
15.29
15.8
2.76
308.0
115.40
UTILIZATION OF COCONUT OIL AS A
SUBSTITUTE FOR FOSSIL FUEL
APPLICATIONS
Similar
to all other raw vegetable oils
(soybean, rapeseed, linseed etc.), Coconut
oil does have very similar properties to diesel
fuel:
In fact, the rebels in Bougainville Island have
been using the raw coconut oil as a source of
fuel to generate power with minor
modifications to their engines!
Coconut oils have been used in Vanuatu to
power a vehicle.

However,
apart from engine fouling after few
hours of operation, like other raw vegetable
oils, coconut oil may also be used as a Fuel,
but has the problem that it is too viscous in
cold weather.
Important Diesel Fuel and Vegetable Oil Properties
Specific
Energy
(MJ/kg)
Cetane
Number
Kinematic
Viscosity
(cS)
Solidifica
tion Point
(C)
Iodine
Value
Saponificat
ion Value
Petroleum
Diesel
45.3 Gross
45 - 55
4 @ 40°C
-9
-
-
Coconut
Oil
42.0 Gross
60
20 @ 40°C
24
10
268
Palm Oil
39.6 Gross
-
37 @ 40
35
54
199
Rapeseed
Oil
39.7 Gross
38
37 @ 40°C
-10
125
175
Soybean
Oil
39.6
37.9
33 @ 40°C
-16
130
191
Linseed
Oil
39.7
-
29 @ 40°C
-24
179
190
Fuel
IMPORTANT PHYSICAL AND CHEMICAL
PROPERTIES OF VEGETABLE OIL
• Specific Energy – indication of the
fuel’s energy released when it is
burned. Coconut oil’s energy (42
MJ/kg) is more or less equivalent
to Petroleum Diesel.
• Cetane Number (CN) – indication
of the fuel’s willingness to ignite
when it gets compressed. Coconut
oil’s CN (60) is the highest.
• Viscosity – indication of the fuel’s
ability to atomize in the injector
system. Coconut oil’s viscosity is
comparable with other oils but
much more than petroleum diesel.
Higher viscosity will cause poor
volatilization of the fuel.
• Solidification Point – indication of
the temperature at which the fuel
will turn solid. Coconut oil’s
solidification point (25°C) is at
room temperature.
• Iodine Value (IV) – indication of
the ability of the fuel to polymerize
due to the fuels’ degree of bonds
available. Coconut oil’s IV (10) is
the lowest among all the fuel so it
can be used directly in the engines
without modification.
• Saponification Value (SV) –
indication of the fuel’s ability to
vaporize and atomize due to the
fuels carbon chains. Coconut oil
has the highest SV (268) which will
ignite more quickly than others.
IMPROVING COCONUT OIL PROPERTIES
• Improvements to coconut oil properties &
characteristics can be achieved by using the
following methods:
–
–
–
–
Pyrolysis
Microemulsification
Dilution
Transesterification or Production of Biodiesel
• The coconut oil derivatives achieved by applying
any of the above methods not only should
approximate the properties and performance of
the hydrocarbon-based diesel fuels but
environmentally friendly!
BENEFITS OF USING COCONUT OIL AS FUEL
SUBSTITUTE FOR DIESEL ENGINES
•Revitalize existing coconut farms by providing demand for
coconut oil which will lead to an expansion of production.
•Stabilize the income from coconut production.
•Development of new industries:
•Providing Training Opportunities for the new industries
•Decrease balance of trade payments – Reverse balance
of trade payments.
•Reduction in the imported fuel
•Provide energy security (Coconut oil is natural renewable
energy source)
•Provide safe environment:
•Biodegradable
•Significantly less air pollution (even smells nice!)
CONCLUSIONS
•Pure coconut oil has been and can be
used as a possible fuel substitute for
diesel engines.
•Coconut oil derivatives should prove to
be an excellent fuel substitute for
diesel engines with improved
performance characteristics.
•Similar to other vegetable oil
derivatives, coconut oil derivates
should provide an environmentally
friendly fuel source.
•Coconut/copra prices should be
stabilized or even increased.
•This should stop forcing farmers to
abandon their coconut farms.
•It should improve the overall national
economy.
•It should reduce reliance on imported
petroleum diesel fuel.